Mental health measures for the staff of nuclear research and development institution mobilized in dealing with residents during the nuclear disaster caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake

Tomotsune, Yusuke; Yajima, Mayumi; Okuno, Hiroshi; Yamamoto, Kazuya

Rodo Anzen Eisei Kenkyu, 16(1), p.29 - 43, 2023/02

https://doi.org/10.2486/josh.JOSH-2021-0017-JI

During the first year of the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011, a total of about 45,000 employees of Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) left their original workplaces to engage in telephone counseling, assistance of temporary return, and environmental monitoring. In particular, the staff who worked on the telephone counseling service, which directly contacted the residents, suffered from the stress associated with emotional labor. Systematic mental health care to the staff who engaged in these tasks was provided them in the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories of the JAEA. This paper considers this activity as a concrete example of "support for supporters" and discusses the mental health of the staff who provide support to the residents in a nuclear disaster.

Outline of Regional Workshops held in 2006 - 2017 by the International Atomic Energy Agency in the proposal of Nuclear Emergency Preparedness Group of the Asian Nuclear Safety Network

Okuno, Hiroshi; Yamamoto, Kazuya

JAEA-Review 2020-066, 32 Pages, 2021/02

JAEA-Review-2020-066.pdf:3.01MB

The International Atomic Energy Agency (abbreviated as IAEA) has been implementing the Asian Nuclear Safety Network (abbreviated as ANSN) activities since 2002. As part of this effort, Topical Group on Emergency Preparedness and Response (abbreviated as EPRTG) for nuclear or radiation disasters was established in 2006 under the umbrella of the ANSN. Based on the EPRTG proposal, the IAEA conducted 23 Asian regional workshops in the 12 years from 2006 to 2017. Typical topical fields of the regional workshops were nuclear emergency drills, emergency medical care, long-term response after nuclear/radiological emergency, international cooperation, national nuclear disaster prevention system. The Japan Atomic Energy Agency has produced coordinators for EPRTG since its establishment and has led its activities since then. This report summarizes the Asian regional workshops conducted by the IAEA based on the recommendations of the EPRTG.

Preparedness and response for nuclear or radiological emergency as a designated public corporation

Okuno, Hiroshi; Okamoto, Akiko; Ebine, Noriya; Hayakawa, Tsuyoshi; Tanaka, Tadao

Proceedings of 27th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE-27) (Internet), 15 Pages, 2019/05

In the event of a nuclear or radiological emergency, the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) as a designated public corporation assigned in the Disaster Countermeasures Basic Act of Japan undertakes a role to support the national government and local governments. This paper (1) illuminates the roles of the JAEA as a designated public corporation for preparedness and response to a nuclear or radiological emergency of nuclear facilities; (2) summarizes emergency response activities of the JAEA in accordance with its Disaster Management Operation Plan against the off-site radiological emergencies attributed to a loss of control of the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO)'s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station that occurred in 2011; and (3) reports its activities in normal times especially participation in the drills organized by the national government and local governments in the light of the Basic Disaster Management Plan of Japan and Local Disaster Management Plans of prefectural governments, respectively.

Calculations of safe distance from the point of a severe accident during transportation of a package containing spent nuclear fuels

Watanabe, Fumitaka; Okuno, Hiroshi

Proceedings of 18th International Symposium on the Packaging and Transport of Radioactive Materials (PATRAM 2016) (DVD-ROM), 9 Pages, 2016/09

This paper shows our calculations on the effects of a radiological release by assuming a severe accident in nuclear material transportation. Following recalculations of safe distance from the point of a severe accident during transportation of a transportation cask TN12 typically used in France containing spent nuclear fuel, and calculations to replicate the "Regulatory Guide: Emergency Preparedness for Nuclear Facilities", a similar calculation was made for a spent fuel transportation cask NFT-14P that was typically utilized in Japan instead of TN12. The safe distance was calculated to be about 30 m. The above calculations were made with the HotSpot codes which adopted the Gauss plume model and had been developed by the USA. Some additional calculations were made with EyesAct, which was developed and used in Japan, adopting also the Gauss plume model, to compare calculation results.

Fabrication process qualification of TF Insert Coil using real ITER TF conductor

Ozeki, Hidemasa; Isono, Takaaki; Kawano, Katsumi; Saito, Toru; Kawasaki, Tsutomu; Nishino, Katsumi; Okuno, Kiyoshi; Kido, Shuichi*; Semba, Tomoyuki*; Suzuki, Yozo*; et al.

IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity, 25(3), p.4200804_1 - 4200804_4, 2015/06

https://doi.org/10.1109/TASC.2014.2364393

Annual report of Nuclear Emergency Assistance and Training Center (April 1, 2013 - March 31, 2014)

Sato, Takeshi; Muto, Shigeo; Akiyama, Kiyomitsu; Aoki, Kazufumi; Okamoto, Akiko; Kawakami, Takeshi; Kume, Nobuhide; Nakanishi, Chika; Koie, Masahiro; Kawamata, Hiroyuki; et al.

JAEA-Review 2014-048, 69 Pages, 2015/02

JAEA-Review-2014-048.pdf:13.91MB

JAEA was assigned as a designated public institution under the Disaster Countermeasures Basic Act and under the Armed Attack Situations Response Act. Based on these Acts, the JAEA has the responsibility of providing technical support to the national government and/or local governments in case of disaster responses or response in the event of a military attack, etc. In order to fulfill the tasks, the JAEA has established the Emergency Action Plan and the Civil Protection Action Plan. In case of a nuclear emergency, NEAT dispatches specialists of JAEA, supplies the national government and local governments with emergency equipment and materials, and gives technical advice and information. In normal time, NEAT provides various exercises and training courses concerning nuclear disaster prevention to those personnel taking an active part in emergency response institutions of the national and local governments, police, fire fighters, self-defense forces, etc. in addition to the JAEA itself. The NEAT also researches nuclear disaster preparedness and response, and cooperates with international organizations. In the FY2013, the NEAT accomplished the following tasks: (1) Technical support activities as a designated public institution in cooperation with the national and local governments, etc. (2) Human resource development, exercise and training of nuclear emergency response personnel for the national and local governments, etc. (3) Researches on nuclear disaster preparedness and response, and sending useful information (4) International contributions to Asian countries on nuclear disaster preparedness and response in collaboration with the international organizations

Annual report of Nuclear Emergency Assistance and Training Center (April 1, 2012 - March 31, 2013)

Sato, Takeshi; Muto, Shigeo; Okuno, Hiroshi; Katagiri, Hiromi; Akiyama, Kiyomitsu; Okamoto, Akiko; Koie, Masahiro; Ikeda, Takeshi; Nemotochi, Toshimasa; Saito, Toru; et al.

JAEA-Review 2013-046, 65 Pages, 2014/02

JAEA-Review-2013-046.pdf:11.18MB

When a nuclear emergency occurs in Japan, the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has the responsibility of providing technical support to the National government, local governments, police, fire stations and nuclear operators etc., because the JAEA has been designated as the Designated Public Institution under the Basic Act on Disaster Control Measures and the Act on Response to Armed Attack Situations, etc.. The Nuclear Emergency Assistance and Training Center (NEAT) of JAEA provides a comprehensive range of technical support activities to an Off-Site Center in case of a nuclear emergency. Specifically, NEAT gives technical advice and information, dispatches specialists as required, and supplies the National Government and local governments with emergency equipments and materials. NEAT provides various exercise and training courses concerning nuclear disaster prevention to those personnel taking an active part in emergency response organizations at normal times. The tasks of NEAT, with its past experiences as a designated public institution including the responses to TEPCO's Fukushima Accident, have been shifted to technical supports to the national government for strengthening its abilities to emergency responses; the NEAT therefore focused on maintenance and operation of its functions, and strengthening its response abilities in cooperation with the national government. This annual report summarized these activities of JAEA/NEAT in the fiscal year 2012.

Annual report of Nuclear Emergency Assistance and Training Center (April 1, 2011 - March 31, 2012)

Katagiri, Hiromi; Okuno, Hiroshi; Okamoto, Akiko; Ikeda, Takeshi; Tamura, Kenichi; Nagakura, Tomohiro; Nakanishi, Chika; Yamamoto, Kazuya; Abe, Minako; Sato, Sohei; et al.

JAEA-Review 2012-033, 70 Pages, 2012/08

JAEA-Review-2012-033.pdf:6.38MB

When a nuclear emergency occurs in Japan, JAEA has the responsibility of providing technical support to the National government, local governments, etc., by the Basic Law on Emergency Preparedness and the Basic Plan for Disaster Countermeasures. NEAT of JAEA gives technical advice and information, dispatch specialists as required, supplies with the National Government and local governments emergency equipment and materials. NEAT provides various lectures and training courses concerning nuclear disaster prevention for emergency response organizations at normal time. Concerning the assistance to the Accident of Fukushima No.1 Nuclear Power Station caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake on 11 March, 2011, JAEA assisted activities including environmental radiation monitoring, environmental radioactivity analyses, resident public consulting etc., with its the utmost effort. This annual report summarized these activities of NEAT in the fiscal year 2011.

Annual report of Nuclear Emergency Assistance and Training Center (April 1, 2010 - March 31, 2011)

Katagiri, Hiromi; Okuno, Hiroshi; Sawahata, Masayoshi; Ikeda, Takeshi; Sato, Sohei; Terakado, Naoya; Nagakura, Tomohiro; Nakanishi, Chika; Fukumoto, Masahiro; Yamamoto, Kazuya; et al.

JAEA-Review 2011-037, 66 Pages, 2011/12

JAEA-Review-2011-037.pdf:4.52MB

When a Nuclear emergency occurs, Nuclear Emergency Assistance & Training Center (NEAT) of JAEA gives technical advice and information, dispatch specialists as required, supplies emergency equipment and materials to the National Government and local governments. NEAT provides various lectures and training courses concerning nuclear disaster prevention for those personnel taking an active part in emergency response organizations at normal time. NEAT also researches on nuclear disaster prevention and cooperates with international organizations. Concerning about the assistance to the Accident of Fukushima No.1 Nuclear Power Station caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake at 11 March, 2011, JAEA assisted activities including environmental radiation monitoring, environmental radioactivity analyses, resident public consulting etc., with its full scale effort. NEAT served as the center of these supporting activities of JAEA.

Calculation of critical concentrations of actinides in an infinite medium of silicon dioxide

Okuno, Hiroshi; Sato, Shohei; Kawasaki, Hiromitsu*

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 46(12), p.1137 - 1144, 2009/12

https://doi.org/10.3327/jnst.46.1137

The critical concentrations of metal-SiO and -HO mixtures were calculated for 26 actinides including U, Pu, Am, Cm and Cf, where the critical concentration was defined as the concentration that the infinite neutron multiplication factor, k being calculated to be 1.0. The calculations were performed using the Monte Carlo neutron transport calculation code MCNP5 combined with the evaluated nuclear data library JENDL3.3. The results showed that the critical actinide concentration of metal-SiO was ca. 1/5 of that of metal-HO for all the fissile nuclides investigated. The k's of the metal-SiO and metal-HO at a half of the respective critical actinide concentration, which concentration was assumed as the subcritical actinide concentration limit, were found to be less than 0.8 for all the actinides considered. Applying a sum-of-fractions rule with respect to the ratios of actinide concentration to the subcritical actinide concentration limit for six fissile nuclides, subcriticality of high-level radioactive wastes was confirmed for a reported sample. The effect of different nuclear data libraries on the results of critical actinide concentrations was found large for Cm, Cm and Cf.